Present retail packaging for threads comprises a cylinder or cone, typically made of paper, wood or plastic, on which is wound the thread in a spiral, overlapping manner. For feeding or using the thread, it is either pulled in a tangential direction with the spool mounted for easy rotation or it is pulled off in an axial direction with the spool stationary. In both instances, the thread is essentially unwrapped from its spiral condition. In either case, the cylinder or cone, sometimes referred to as bobbins, are left and must be disposed of when the thread is used up.